Condoleeza Rice Calls On Donald Trump To Drop Out Of The Race

Former U.S. Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice went on Facebook to call for Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race after his disgusting comments about women. Read her comments below.

Donald Trump still believes the ‘Central Park Five’ are guilty despite DNA evidence

It’s been 14 years since the young men known as the Central Park Five had their convictions vacated for the brutal rape and assault of a female jogger that rocked New York City in 1989, yet Donald Trump remains convinced of their guilt.

“They admitted they were guilty,” Trump told CNN this week of Antron McCray, Raymond Santana Jr., Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam and Kharey Wise, who ranged in age from 14 to 16 when they were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the attack that left the 28-year-old victim in a coma for 12 days.

The young men have long maintained their innocence and claimed that police coerced them into providing false confessions that lead to their convictions in 1990. In 2002, a convicted rapist and murderer named Matias Reyes confessed to the gruesome attack, and after an investigation by the Manhattan district attorney revealed DNA evidence linking Reyes to the victim, the Central Park Five were exonerated.

Still, the Republican presidential nominee argued, “The police doing the original investigation say they were guilty.”

“The fact that that case was settled with so much evidence against them is outrageous,” Trump told CNN. “And the woman, so badly injured, will never be the same.”

Read more: Donald Trump still believes the ‘Central Park Five’ are guilty

Birth of a Nation headed toward 8 to 9 million dollar opening weekend

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

The Nat Turner biopic, Birth of a Nation starring, produced, written and directed by Nate Parker opens this weekend and if websites that report on movies are correct the movie is headed for an $8-9 million dollar opening. No doubt that the recent controversy over allegations that Parker raped a female student in 1999 while he was at Penn State and the women's later suicide has and will hurt the movies opening weekend.

The movie is being released through Fox Searchlight which also released 12 Years a Slave which had a $6.6 million opening weekend back in 2013 on it's way to a $56 million dollar gross. Like 12 Years a Slave there is Oscar buzz around Birth of a Nation. Whether that helps the film is yet to be seen. Below are predictions from three websites that predict opening weekend numbers.

Variety.com project a $8 million dollar opening:

...Fox Searchlight will open the film wide, instead of building up slow with the hopes of capturing awards attention. It will kick off in 2,100 theaters and should make $8 million.

BoxOffice.com predicts a $9.5 million dollar opening.

BoxOfficeMojo.Com projects a lower 7.7 million dollar opening weekend.

If you do the math that's an average of $8.4 million.

I am a bit more optimistic about the movies opening weekend and feel that it can open in the $12-13 million dollar range because of the following reasons:

The film has some great reviews and currently holds an 78% rating on www.rottentomatoes.com

Good word of mouth could very well drive more moviegoers to the film on Saturday.

The opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture has inspired much pride among African Americans about them and their history, this could drive some to see the film about a black historical figure.

The movie has some buzz among the black college crowd. It could be like the movie Malcolm X which was released when I was in school; it was a movie that you were just supposed to go to see if you were black.(Let's just hope that put the right movie title on the tickets this time).

So will you be going to see Birth of a Nation this weekend and how much do you think it will make?

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

Yale honors first black student James Pennington

Yale University is honoring its first black student by naming a classroom for him.

The New Haven Register reports that the school will hold a ceremony Thursday to name a divinity school classroom after James W.C. Pennington and hang his portrait in the room.

Divinity school graduate Lecia Allman led the effort to honor Pennington, who escaped slavery in Maryland in 1837. Allman says it was illegal in Connecticut then to educate African-Americans from other states, but Pennington was allowed to attend classes. He just wasn't allowed to speak, use the library or earn a degree.

Pennington later became an abolitionist and formed an organization to provide former Amistad captives an education.

Divinity School Dean Gregory Sterling says honoring Pennington "recovers part of our past that has been neglected.''

New Documentary: "Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America"

Head Not The Tail Productions (HNTT Productions) is excited to announce the forthcoming screening of its important and timely documentary titled Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America. The film, directed by Melody Shere'a and executive produced by Monica Simmons, is a powerful and inspiring documentary that is the result of a year-long research study interviewing black professional women in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. Invisible Women uncovers and addresses issues around racism that profoundly affect black women in the corporate workplace. The women share respective experiences of disappointment and rejection when simply trying to earn a living and/or compete against white, Asian and women of other races for a higher step on the corporate ladder. Invisible Women will screen Wednesday, October 12, 2016 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Valley Center for the Performing Arts, a unique performance facility that exists in the Oakland Hills on the scenic campus of Holy Names University (3500 Mountain Blvd., Oakland, CA). The evening will encompass the film viewing, reception and panel discussion. Tickets are $20 through Oct. 2; $30 thereafter.

"For the production of Invisible Women, we interviewed black women of varied professional levels who generously shared their previously untold stories and feelings around race-related issues on the job," said Shere'a, HNTT Productions founder and CEO. "In conducting the research, we found the corporate practice of discrimination to be a common harsh reality faced by countless women of color. We also interviewed experts who provide employment reports and statistical data on this topic."

Shere'a, the film's director and executive producer Simmons are talented sisters. They have each personally experienced workplace race and gender discrimination throughout their corporate careers, which is how they conceived the idea to develop this documentary.

HNTT Productions partnered with non-profit organizations BlackFemaleProject.Org and Center for Talent Innovation to dig into the issues, look at the facts, explore the reality of working in corporate America as a black woman and delve into ways to improve the environment for tomorrow's young black corporate professionals.

While there is certainly lobbying at local, state and federal levels for gender equality and diversity in the workplace, women's discrimination remains a troubling issue that as yet has not been adequately addressed. Though numerous entities address the issue by hiring and promoting more women into management positions and corporate executive roles, a considerable recognition/advancement gap still exists for black women.

The playing field isn’t level and well-qualified black women are too frequently denied the opportunity to explore similar career growth opportunities as their white and other female counterparts. The facts and details you will learn from this documentary will surprise you.

About News noted in a May 2016 report that although black women only make up 12.7 percent of the female population in the country, they consistently make up over 50 percent—and sometimes much more—of the number of blacks who receive postsecondary degrees. Percentage-wise, Black women outpace white women, Latinas, Asian/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans in the education arena. However, a recent study found black women make up just 8% of private sector jobs and 1.5% of leadership roles.

Shere'a has a passion for empowering and mentoring young girls, and is a "Woman of Impact" member for Girls Inc. Alameda County. A portion of the event proceeds will be donated to the following organizations: Black Female Project, Girls Inc Alameda County, Girls Who Code and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. To contribute directly to the fund, visit IndieGoGo crowdfunding page.

ABOUT HEAD NOT THE TAIL PRODUCTIONS (HNTTP): 
HNTT Productions, founded in 2016 by Melody Shere’a, is located in the heart of Oakland, California. The company creates, develops, produces and invests in film, television and documentary projects. The entertainment industry veteran possesses more than 10 years acting, print modeling and voice-over experience. She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Shere’a graduated from Cal State Hayward, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree, and later pursued an MBA in Finance at Holy Names University in Oakland.

Monica Simmons is the Executive Producer of the documentary and head of production and film development for HNTT Productions.

Shere'a, HNTT Productions CEO states, "For too long our stories have been left behind. It is HNTTP's goal is to bring forth the change needed in the entertainment industry by becoming the 'Head and Not The Tail' in this business".    HNTTProductions.com